Sandcastle Coastal Rentals

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Sandcastle Coastal Rentals Welcome to Sandcastle Coastal Rentals! I’m Dorca, a local owner and host here in Fort Walton Beach.

I manage our beautiful condo at Destin West Bayside and personally take care of every detail, from communication to cleaning and guest support.

I've shared lots of pictures of my condo, the beach, and Destin West... but I realized I've never really introduced myse...
10/24/2026

I've shared lots of pictures of my condo, the beach, and Destin West... but I realized I've never really introduced myself. 😆

Honestly, I don't post many pictures of myself because I'm always looking crazy. Between running a cleaning business, managing my condo, and life in general, there's not always much time to look camera-ready. 😂

So today, here I am!

I'm Dorca. I'm the owner, the cleaner, the host, the person answering your messages, and the slightly crazy person behind this page. 🤪

When you book with me, you're not dealing with a big company. You're dealing directly with someone who genuinely cares about making sure you have a great stay and feel right at home.

This picture (don't look to close lol) was taken from the balcony of my unit at Destin West Bayside, one of my favorite places to be.

Thanks for following along and supporting my little corner of paradise at Destin West Bayside. ❤️

🌴 Come Enjoy the Last of Fall at the Beach! October Openings Available at my condo in Destin West Bayside.The weather ha...
10/19/2026

🌴 Come Enjoy the Last of Fall at the Beach! October Openings Available at my condo in Destin West Bayside.

The weather has been a little chilly and windy these past few days, but it's still been beautiful at the beach!

Temperatures this week are expected to be between 75°-79° during the day, with cooler evenings dropping to around 53°. It's a great time to enjoy the beach without the summer crowds.

I took this sunrise photo from my balcony just two days ago. And yes... you can have mornings like this too!

I still have openings available for the rest of October and I'm ready to welcome snowbirds!

🏖️ Destin West Bayside - Pelican 402
✅ 1 Bedroom
✅ Bunk Room
✅ Sleeper Sofa
✅ 2 Full Bathrooms
✅ Sleeps Up to 6 Guests
✅ Lazy River & Multiple Pools
✅ Beach Access Just Across the Street

Come enjoy the last of the fall season, relax by the beach, and wake up to beautiful sunrises over the bay.

If you've been thinking about a beach getaway, send me a message! I'll do my best to help make your vacation happen at a great price.
Book Direct and Save!

www.sandcastlecoastalrentals.com

Beach Water Advisory Update Okaloosa CountyMany of you may have heard about the recent advisory regarding elevated bacte...
10/14/2026

Beach Water Advisory Update Okaloosa County

Many of you may have heard about the recent advisory regarding elevated bacteria levels in coastal waters following the recent storm.

✅ The pools in Destin West Resort have been properly cleaned, treated, inspected, and tested, and are safe for use.

⚠️ Out of an abundance of caution, the Florida Department of Health is advising residents and visitors to avoid swimming in Gulf waters and other coastal areas until water quality testing confirms bacteria levels have returned to safe standards.
For your safety, please follow the current advisory and avoid entering beach waters until updated test results are released.

I am attaching the original Florida Health notice along with the Okaloosa County beach water quality page where you can view the most recent test results. Please note that this is not a live update feed, but it does show the latest available records.
I will continue monitoring the situation and will share updates as soon as new information becomes available.

Thanks

www.floridahealth.gov/community-environmental-public-health/environmental-public-health/water-quality/beach-water-quality/?County=Okaloosa&Zip=32548

10/13/2026

Guess who’s back!!

The lazy river is officially back open, and all the pools are open too! 🎉.
Everything is back to normal at Destin West Bayside, and we couldn't be more excited!

A huge thank you to everyone who followed my updates throughout the recent weather event and checked in on Destin West and the surrounding area.
❤️
Now it's time to get back to what we do best... making vacation memories! 🏖️🌴 Float the lazy river, enjoy the pools, and relax on the beach.

And if you've been thinking about a fall getaway, I still have October availability in my one-bedroom condo!

Thank You!
Dorca

www.sandcastlecoastalrentals.com

Late-night Destin West investigation update! I heard the power was back on, so naturally I had to go investigate before ...
10/13/2026

Late-night Destin West investigation update!

I heard the power was back on, so naturally I had to go investigate before going to bed. 😂
Good news! Both sides of Destin West have power now! I peeked off my Bayside balcony and immediately noticed the pools look much cleaner. Then I heard the sweetest sound… the pool pumps running!
I literally could not go to sleep without sharing that update🤣. It looks like things are moving in the right direction and hopefully the pools will be ready very soon!
I can't officially report on Gulfside since my condo is on the Bayside, but I did stop by Gulfside earlier today and saw crews cleaning the pools there as well.
Oh! Elevators are also working!!!

Look this amazing view!

Destin West Hurricane Recovery Update #2 - October 12, 2026 I just got back from visiting both Destin West Bayside and...
10/12/2026

Destin West Hurricane Recovery Update #2 - October 12, 2026

I just got back from visiting both Destin West Bayside and Gulfside and wanted to share what I saw firsthand.

The first thing I noticed was several power company crews and linemen working very close to Destin West. That's likely why we don't have power right now, and hopefully it's a good sign that power will be restored soon.

At Bayside, the elevators are still down, so everyone is using the stairs. Some stairwells are very dark because the batteries in the emergency lights are starting to die. I was using my phone flashlight, which wasn't much help since I have an older iPhone lol.

I went straight to the pool deck. The pools are still closed, except for the Heron Pool, which is open. I saw workers in the lazy river area, and it looks like they're actively cleaning the pools and removing debris.

The seawall and marina definitely have visible damage, so it's completely understandable why those areas remain closed for safety.

I also walked over to Gulfside using the skybridge. Since the elevators aren't working, you have to take the stairs up to the third floor to access the bridge. I'm an active person, but after climbing all those stairs today, I was basically dying lol.

From what I observed, Gulfside does not appear to have sustained significant storm damage. However, it is still without power. The pools are dirty from the storm and remain closed while cleanup continues.

Now for the best news of the day: the beach looks absolutely beautiful! The yellow flag was flying, the water was clear, warm, and gorgeous. You wouldn't even notice that a hurricane passed through just three days ago.

Recovery efforts are definitely underway, and crews are making progress. While there is still work to be done, it was nice to see so much activity around the property today.

I took pictures and videos while I was there so everyone can see how things are looking right now, and I'll be posting those shortly.

Around town, It was nice to see so many stores open, grocery stores restocking, and gas stations operating normally. Little by little, our town is getting back to normal, and I'm so happy to see it.

I'll keep everyone posted. Stay tuned for more updates!

October 12, 2026 Hurricane Recovery UpdateUnfortunately, Destin West Bayside lost power today, and conditions have chang...
10/12/2026

October 12, 2026 Hurricane Recovery Update

Unfortunately, Destin West Bayside lost power today, and conditions have changed slightly since yesterday's update. I am attaching the information shared by the HOA meeting, along with some important clarifications.

At this time:
• The elevators are not currently working due to today's power outage. Please note that elevator service had already been experiencing issues prior to the outage.

• The parking garages have gradually drained and are now dry.

• Minor debris on walkways and several missing exit signs are being addressed by management.

• The areas that sustained the most significant storm damage are the pool house, seawall, and marina. For everyone's safety, these areas remain strictly closed and are marked with red danger tape. Please do not enter these areas or bypass any barriers.

• The HOA is prioritizing the mitigation, repair, and reopening of the water amenities. Staff and contractors are actively inspecting electrical and mechanical systems to determine the extent of the damage.

• Several electrical systems, motors, and pumps were submerged underwater for more than 24 hours. Because of this, the repair timeline remains unknown. As equipment continues to dry out over the next few days, the HOA expects to have a better understanding of the scope of repairs.

• The Master Board will continue monitoring progress daily and plans to hold a future board meeting to discuss recovery efforts and determine when water amenities can safely reopen.

• The good news is that gas stations on Okaloosa Island are operating normally.

I am heading to Destin West shortly to check and will see if I can access the Gulfside property as well. I'll provide another update as soon as I have more information from both properties.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as recovery efforts continue. We will continue sharing updates as they become available.

Dorca

🌴 Destin West Bayside Update 🌴🌀We wanted to share the latest information we have regarding the status of Destin West Bay...
10/11/2026

🌴 Destin West Bayside Update 🌴🌀

We wanted to share the latest information we have regarding the status of Destin West Bayside following the recent weather impacts.

🏊 Pools At this time, the Heron Pool is the only pool currently open, as far as we know. The Lazy River and all other Bayside pools remain closed until further notice.

💡 Power & Water Good news! Power and water are available in our Pelican condo. We cannot speak for every building, but our unit is fully operational.

🛗 Elevators are still down on the Bayside until further notice. Signs have been posted.

🧹 Cleanup Efforts The Destin West staff has been working hard and continues to clear debris throughout the property. We appreciate all their efforts as the complex continues recovering.

🚗 Parking As of yesterday, the parking garage was still flooded. However, there is currently plenty of available parking around the property.

🌊 Beach: Double red flags are currently posted, so the water is closed and beach service is temporarily unavailable. The beach crew is working to get everything set back up. People are relaxing and sunbathing on the beach, but no one is in the water.

🛒 Grocery Stores Several local grocery stores have reopened and are stocking essential items. Availability may vary, but supplies are gradually returning.

⛽ Gas Stations Some gas stations in the area are operating normally and have fuel available. Last we heard, both gas stations on Okaloosa Island were still closed, so plan accordingly and fuel up before heading to the island if possible.

⚠️ Gulfside We do not have much information regarding Gulfside at this time. The most recent information we have is that some areas are still without power.

We kindly ask everyone to please be patient as the area continues to recover. Property staff, utility crews, local businesses, and community members are working hard to restore normal operations as quickly and safely as possible. We appreciate everyone's understanding and cooperation during this time as Destin West and the surrounding area get back to normal.

We will continue sharing updates as we receive them. Thank you for your patience, and safe travels to everyone visiting or returning to the area! 💙

Hurricane and remodeling update!We’ve been quiet for a bit because… we did something! We remodeled the condo kitchen! We...
10/09/2026

Hurricane and remodeling update!

We’ve been quiet for a bit because… we did something! We remodeled the condo kitchen! We cut off the breakfast bar, added new quartz countertops, a new stove to match the stainless steel appliances, a new backsplash, fresh cabinet colors, and even a new sofa and chair. (New barstools coming Monday!) Little by little we’re changing things to make the condo look even nicer.
It was definitely a challenge: we didn’t have much time, the quartz didn’t fit in the elevator, we tried taking off the top panel of the elevator ceiling, but the HOA came and got mad at us and said we couldn’t do that haha. The installer had to trim it a little… and boom, it fit!
We finally finished everything… and now we have a hurricane arriving tomorrow. We had to bring all the patio furniture inside.
I hope you like all the new updates in the condo, and stay tuned because more renovations are coming.
Fun fact: I personally painted the cabinets because my husband was out of town, so don’t look too closely 😂😬(but they look good!)

Book directly and save! The calendar is wide open for the rest of this month and the upcoming ones. I’m also taking bookings for next season.

www.sandcastlecoastalrentals.com

Fresh Trimmed Views 🌴Look at this gorgeous view from P402 at Destin West Bayside. Now that the palm trees are trimmed, y...
08/29/2026

Fresh Trimmed Views 🌴

Look at this gorgeous view from P402 at Destin West Bayside. Now that the palm trees are trimmed, you can see everything so clear.
Come relax, unwind, and enjoy the island breeze from your own balcony.

✨ plenty of openings the next couple months
✨ taking reservations for fall + winter
✨ message me for dates, pricing, and direct booking info

Book now to save and come enjoy this view! 🌴💙

www.sandcastlecoastalrentals.com

Address

Fort Walton Beach, FL

Telephone

+18507979579

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